Meticulous homeowners dispute sidewalk citation

Staten Island Advance/Virginia SherryJosephine and Giacamo Alauria are furious about violations that the city DOT recently issued for sidewalk conditions in front of their home on Livermore Street in Port Richmond Center.

PORT RICHMOND CENTERSTATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - It’s a matter of pride: Many North Shore homeowners meticulously maintain their residences, and also pay careful attention to their gardens and curbside spaces.

So, imagine how infuriating it was for Port Richmond Center senior-citizen homeowners Giacamo and Josephine Alauria, when they received an unexpected, green-stamped certified letter from the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) last month, citing them with almost $2,000 in fines for allegedly faulty sidewalk conditions at their impeccably maintained corner house at 82 Livermore Ave.

“My husband has been a nervous wreck about this,” Mrs. Alauria confessed.

Based on the complex, difficult-to understand paperwork that DOT sent to the couple — citing the need to replace about 169 square feet of sidewalk — the total bill amounts to almost $2,000, if the Alaurias opt for the city to carry out the required repairs, at a stated price of $11.69 a square foot.

REDONE IN 2002

The problem is that the sidewalks surrounding 82 Livermore Ave. seem to be in perfect condition.

“I never dreamed that the city would give me a problem with my sidewalks,” said Alauria, 76, who showed a reporter a $12,290 bill — dated July 26, 2002 — that documented the installation of brand-new sidewalks outside the home that he purchased 10 years ago.

“It will break my heart if I need to break up this concrete,” he commented, pointing out the pristine sidewalk sections that surround his corner property.

His wife, Josephine, kept detailed notes, in her native Italian, of calls that she said that she placed to various city agencies since the violation notice was received, and showed her records to a reporter.

One call, to the city’s 311 help-line on Aug. 27, requested a re-inspection of the sections of the well-maintained sidewalk flags designated as faulty in the DOT violation notice.

On Sept. 3, Mrs. Alauria said that she telephoned the city’s Tree and Sidewalk program, to report that one of the violations included a sidewalk flag that was raised up by a city tree planted curbside. She said that she was provided with a confirmation number for her complaint, but “I’ve heard nothing from them, until now.”

‘LOOKING FOR MONEY’

“It seems like the city is just looking for money,” said the Alaurias’ son-in-law, Steve LaRosa, who lives nearby.

“This is a well-kept house in excellent condition. Why doesn’t the city focus on places on the Island where there are definite hazards?” he asked. “We called the Borough President’s office, and they did absolutely nothing.”

Mrs. Alauria explained further: “I called the Borough President’s office on September 3, and the man I spoke with was very pleasant, but he did not help, or give me any information that was useful.”

“Whatever the city is citing us for these sidewalks, it’s so minor — not apparent to the eye — and certainly not a danger to pedestrians,” her son-in-law said.